Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

Effective Book Promotion Strategies

Posted by Anonymous on 11/13/2004 at 12:54 PM ET 125 Points
Please suggest strategies/tactics for promoting two guides books written for business decision makers and their human resource (HR) managers. The topics involve maximizing mentoring and coaching services. These are brief (30 pp.) "news-you-can-use" paperback guides, professionally designed, complete with ISBN numbers.

Planned promotion activities include a direct mail postcard campaign. The books will be sold via our firm's website.

Specific questions:

1. Recommendations for list brokers to acquire mailing lists of senior executives and HR professionals?

2. Creative strategies to use on the postcards that go beyond providing descriptive information and benefits?

3. Other promotion activities/suggestions, such as how to get some "killer" endorsements?

With thanks.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 11/13/2004 at 5:18 PM Accepted
    I've written and published a couple of business books over the last few years, and promoting them effectively is really time consuming and/or expensive.

    I've found that getting publicity and reviews are probably the most efficient approaches. And I ghost-wrote a book for a senior business exec who was able to enlist the aid of some of his business associates to lend their names, stories, and testimonial quotes.

    One approach that worked well for me -- to get publicity and generate sales -- was to create a booklet (12 pages plus cover) with a catchy title and enough information to be of real value to my target audience. We sell the booklet on our website ($3, including postage/handling) and give it away free with a purchase of the book on the website. We also got a sponsor who wanted to reach the same audience, gave them an ad on the back cover, and they paid for the entire printing. I also give the booklets away free when I speak or appear at book signings.

    The booklet was responsible for most of the publicity we eventually generated. Editors just loved it and asked if they could reprint parts of it, etc. We still sell almost as many booklets as books on the website!

    If you want to see how it all works, go to www.potatochipdifference.com . That's the site for the book The Potato Chip Difference : How to apply leading edge marketing strategies to landing the job you want. Follow the links to the booklet section and you'll see the deal (and a few teasers).

    And if you want a booklet for your book, I've gotten pretty good at cranking those suckers out. Let me know if I can help.

    I also have a really good PR person who specializes in book/author publicity. Let me know if you want the contact info.
  • Posted on 11/13/2004 at 5:24 PM Member
    If you have not already discovered the Publishers Marketing Association (PMA), I highly recommend it for new authors and/or publishers. Membership is very reasonable, and they have one of the best [hardcopy] newsletters I've ever received on any topic.

    Info available on their website: www.pma-online.org
  • Posted on 11/13/2004 at 5:27 PM Member
    This forum might be a good source of "killer" testimonials. Offer the books free to members here, in return for a testimonial and/or a reader review on Amazon.com.

    Also, if you can find other authors with similar/related titles, they are usually eager to provide testimonials in return for the exposure they'll get (from you) for their books. I'd do it, and I know 4 or 5 other authors who probably would as well.

    Good luck.
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